Mindy Kaling‘s upcoming Netflix comedy series set in the world of pro basketball has added three new cast members, PvNew has learned.
Brenda Song, Scott MacArthur, and Drew Tarver are all joining the show alongside previously announced series lead Kate Hudson. The untitled series received a 10-episode order at Netflix in June 2021.
The official logline states, “When a scandal forces her brother to resign, Isla Gordon (Hudson) is appointed President of the Los Angeles Waves, one of the most storied professional basketball franchises, and her family business. Ambitious and often overlooked, Isla will have to prove to her skeptical brothers, the board, and the larger sports community that she was the right choice for the job, especially in the unpredictable, male-dominated world of sports.”
Song will star as Ali Lee, the chief of staff of The Waves. The character is said to be born and raised on the South Side of Chicago and “knows where the bodies are buried. She understands the complex politics surrounding the Gordon family, having known Isla since they shared a dorm room in college. She’s funny, tough, and even the biggest guy on the team is scared of her.”
Song is known for her roles in shows like “Dollface” and for films like “Love Accidentally” and “Secret Obsession.” She first broke out with her roles in the Disney series “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody” and “The Suite Life on Deck.” She has also lent her voice to animated projects like “Blue Eye Samurai,” “Amphibia,” and “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.”
Tarver will play Sandy Gordon, one of Isla’s brothers and the chief financial officer of The Waves. The character description states that Sandy “thinks he’s the smartest guy in the room, and is often right. Hopelessly unathletic and bad at sports, Sandy felt alienated by his family his entire life. He now works hard to prove he can return the franchise to greatness — or at least make them profitable.”
Tarver received strong reviews for his work on “The Other Two,” the Max (and formerly Comedy Central) series in which he starred alongside Heléne Yorke. The show received an Emmy nomination for best writing for a comedy series in its third and final season. Tarver is also known for shows like “Bajillion Dollar Propertie$,” “The UCB Show,” and “Tween Fest.”
MacArthur will play Ness Gordon, described as “The emotionally sensitive General Manager of the Los Angeles Waves. Ness has an infectious enthusiasm for ideas both good and bad. Ness is a former player himself who burned out after one season in the pros. Now he yearns for greatness in the front office to make up for his unremarkable career on the court, and to impress his siblings.”
MacArthur previously starred in the Fox comedy series “The Mick” and has appeared on shows like “The Righteous Gemstones,” “History of the World Part II,” “Killing It,” and “Physical.” He also played a key role in the “Breaking Bad” followup film “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.”
Song is repped by CAA, Brookside Artist Management, and Felker Toczek. Tarver is repped by UTA, Constellation Media Group, and Myman Greenspan. MacArthur is repped by UTA, Haven Entertainment, and Yorn Levine Barnes.
Kaling serves as co-writer and executive producer on the series along with frequent collaborators Ike Barinholtz and David Stassen, with Stassen also serving as showrunner. Hudson will executive produce in addition to starring. Jeanie Buss, president of the Los Angeles Lakers, will also executive produce along with Lakers executive director Linda Rambis as well as Howard Klein of 3 Arts. Jordan Rambis will produce. Warner Bros. Television, where Kaling and her Kaling International banner are under an overall deal, will produce.
